Emergency type housing units have been desired for numerous applications. Typically the units are nothing more than steel shipping containers which are modified for the usage desired. They tend to be heavy, difficult to transport, provide very limited functional space, and not desirable as a living area. Increasing of the functional space has been crudely addressed by cutting out portions of the container and affixing multiple containers together. The appearance of the units has remained to be that of a shipping container or trailer, usually with the need to perform extensive work on the interior to make the unit functional. Further, a single unit typically does not supply sufficient space to accomplish the needed function as the containers are so narrow in width that two or more containers must be placed together to get a functional space. When multiple units are assembled, the need to prevent water and wind infiltration causes considerable additional work to be done by skilled craftsmen, with specialty products to seal the units and properly connect them, which materials are not always available.
Since the steel units are bulky, heavy in weight, difficult to store and transport is typically handling one unit at a time, with a crane needed to move the units. These difficulties restrict the usage and desirability of container type units.
The challenge and need was for a unit that was light weight and compact when not in use so that it may be efficiently stored and transported, that supplies an attractive, functional space, that is strong, water and wind resistant, as well as adaptable to weather conditions, adaptable easily to special needs, and could be installed without special supplies or skilled labor in minimal time periods.